Recipes, cooking tips, and terms!

Brandy

Brandy is a spirit produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume (70-120 US proof) and is typically taken as an after-dinner drink. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks, while some are simply colored with caramel coloring to imitate the effect of such aging (and some brandies are produced using a combination of both aging and coloring).

Brandy may be served neat or on the rocks. It may be added to other beverages to make several popular cocktails; these include the Brandy Alexander, the Sidecar, the Brandy Daisy, and the Brandy Old Fashioned.

Flavored brandy is added to desserts, including cake and pie toppings, to enhance their flavor.

Flavored brandy is commonly added to apple dishes.

Brandy is a common deglazing liquid that is used in making pan sauces for steak and other meat.

Brandy is used to create a more intense flavor in some soups, notably onion soup.